The 2005 inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown were announced today. Despite having won his ring while wearing pinstripes, Wade Boggs is going in with a B on his cap and red socks. (Okay, I can’t actually verify what color his footwear will be.) And from the other league, career Cubby Ryne Sandberg is going in with a C on his cap.
Now, that’s all great and they were amazing players and all, but even though I live in Boston now and the Cubs are my favorite National League team, I’m not nearly as excited as I was when my old dog, Molly’s namesake was inducted. And I’m certainly not going to spearhead a road trip to upstate New York this summer, like I did when Kirby Puckett went in. This may be related to Kirby and Molly smiling down on me as a sleep from my Minnesota Twins All-Time Team poster, whereas Boggs and Sandberg have never been in my room.
HOWEVER, I will consider planning a trip to Cooperstown if the Veteran’s Committee comes through and elects Tony Oliva, another man smiling down on me. The other guys on my poster who are still eligible for the hall? Jim Kaat (Veteran’s Committee nominee) and Bert Blyleven (40.9% of the vote this year). (Puckett, Molitor, Carew, and Killebrew are already in.) And just for the record, the other guys I like who didn’t get elected this year: Jack “MVP of the 1991 World Series” Morris (33.3% of the vote), Terry “He’s my neighbor — sort of” Steinbach (1 vote and he lost eligibility for next year), Chili “Two more votes than Terry” Davis, and Jim “Look, Ma, one hand” Abbott (2.5% of the vote, also lost eligibility).
Yep, they’re all sentimental favorites. Do you have a problem with that?